X Mangave plant named ‘Kaleidoscope’

ABSTRACT

A new and unique X Mangave plant named ‘Kaleidoscope’ characterized by long arching succulent foliage with blue-green centers and variegated yellowish-green to yellowish-cream margins developing under ultra violet light grey-purple to cherry red speckling throughout and strong cherry-red tinting in the margin. The green flowers on tall stiff scapes are loaded with nectar are highly attractive to hummingbirds.

Botanical classification: Manfreda×Agave hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Kaleidoscope’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct X Mangave plant, XMangave ‘Kaleidoscope’ discovered by the inventor at a wholesaleperennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich., USA as an uninduced whole-plantmutation in a tissue cultured crop of X Mangave ‘Jaguar’ (not patented)the Sep. 1, 2013. Through trials at the same nursery since thatdiscovery the plant was referred to by the code 13-SP-Manf-285-9. Thenew plant has been successfully asexually propagated initially bydivision at the same nursery in Zeeland, Mich. and also by tissueculture. Both methods of asexual propagation systems have been found toproduce stable and identical plants that maintain all the uniquecharacteristics of the original plant.

No plants of X Mangave ‘Kaleidoscope’ have been sold, in this country oranywhere in the world, prior to the filing of this application, nor hasany disclosure of the new plant been made prior to the filing of thisapplication with the exception of that which was disclosed within oneyear of the filing of this application, and was either derived directlyor indirectly from the inventor.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

X Mangave ‘Kaleidoscope’ differs from its parent, ‘Jaguar’, as well asall other Manfreda, Agave and X Mangave known to the applicant. The mostsimilar known X Mangave cultivar is ‘Expresso’ (not patented).‘Expresso’ is a chimera sport of X Mangave ‘Macho Mocha’, which is asport of Manfreda variegata×Agave celsii (not patented) presumably.‘Jaguar’ is a chimera sport of Manfreda guttata and an unknown Agave.The variegation differs in that ‘Expresso’ is lighter cream to nearwhite on the margin, whereas the variegation of ‘Kaleidoscope’ is alight lemon-green that develops more larger speckles and a cherry-redcoloration on the margin and the leaves are narrower and not as thickadaxial to abaxial. Other similar X Mangave with chimera variegationinclude: ‘Cappuccino’ (not patented) with a lighter green center andblue-green margin; ‘Bloodspot’ PDN with edge (Avent) (not patented) hasmuch shorter less arching foliage and the margin is nearly creamy white.There are numerous variegated Agave known to the inventor includingAgave ‘Desert Diamond’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 26,384 with a very compacthabit and rigid spiny leaves and bright cream margin.

The new plant, ‘Kaleidoscope’, is unique from all of these variegatedAgave, X Mangave and Manfreda known to the inventor by the followingcombined traits:

-   -   1. Long, arching, succulent foliage with blue-green centers and        variegated yellowish-green to yellowish cream margins;    -   2. Foliage develops greyed-purple to cherry-red speckling        throughout and strong cherry-red tinting in the margin;    -   3. Moderate to rapid growth rate with good natural pup        production;    -   4. Flowers on stiff, tall, lightly-branched scapes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photograph of the new plant demonstrates the overall appearance ofthe new plant including the unique traits as a two-year-old plant grownin a container in a greenhouse with supplemental water and fertilizer asneeded. The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with colorreproductions. Ambient light spectrum, temperature, source and directionmay cause the appearance of minor variation in color.

FIG. 1 shows a close-up of the flowers and buds.

FIG. 2 shows the new plant in a container prior to flowering.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2001edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wherecommon dictionary terms are used. The new plant, X Mangave‘Kaleidoscope’, has not been observed under all possible environments.The phenotype may vary slightly with different environmental conditions,such as temperature, light, fertility, moisture and maturity levels, butwithout any change in the genotype. The following observations and sizedescriptions are of a two-year old plant in a commercial wholesalegreenhouse in Zeeland, Mich. with supplemental water and fertilizer asneeded.

-   Botanical classification: X Mangave hybrid.-   Variety denomination: ‘Kaleidoscope’.-   Sport parentage: Uninduced whole-plant chimeral sport of X Mangave    ‘Jaguar’.-   Propagation: Division and sterile plant tissue culture.-   Time to initiate roots from tissue culture: About 21 days.-   Growth rate: Moderate to rapid.-   Crop time: About 12 to 16 weeks to finish during lengthening spring    days from an established 25 mm tissue culture plug to a 65 mm    diameter container.-   Rooting habit: Fleshy, lightly branching, with roots up to 15 cm    long.-   Root color: Nearest RHS 158C.-   Plant shape and habit: Succulent herbaceous perennial with basal    rosettes of about 50 fleshy leaves radially emerging and arching    from central rhizome, producing a symmetrical rounded mound.-   Plant size: Foliage height about 45.0 cm tall from soil line to the    top of the leaves and about 72.0 cm wide at the widest point at soil    line.-   Foliage description: Gladiate to lanceolate; simple, fleshy,    glabrous; margins finely dentate with flexible teeth; apex acute    with mucro; base truncate, sessile, clasping.-   Number of leaves: About 50 per plant.-   Leaf blades: Finely dentate; to about 35.0 cm long, about 4.7 cm    wide at base and 4.0 mm thick, average about 32.5 cm long, 4.0 cm    wide and 4.0 mm thick; usually bi-laterally symmetrical; glabrous    and glaucous above and below; variegation with wide margin about 1.4    cm wide near base; with intermediate lighter green zone between    margin and center on older leaves of about 7.0 mm wide at widest    point and irregular speckles of between about 1.0 diameter to about    3.0 mm across and about 6.0 mm long.-   Foliage fragrance: None observed.-   Leaf blade color:    -   -   Adaxial (young) center.—Nearest RHS 135C with speckles            nearest RHS N187A.        -   Abaxial (young) center.—Between RHS 139C and RHS 139B with            speckles nearest RHS N187A.        -   Adaxial (young) margin.—Nearest RHS 151A with speckles of            nearest RHS N187A.        -   Abaxial (young) margin.—Nearest RHS N144A with speckles of            nearest RHS N187A.        -   Adaxial (mature) center.—Between RHS 126A and RHS 133A with            speckles of nearest RHS N187A.        -   Abaxial (mature) center.—More green than RHS 126B and more            blue than RHS 133B with speckles of nearest RHS N187A.        -   Adaxial (mature) margin.—Between RHS 126A and RHS 133A and            frequently developing red coloring or tinting with intense            ultra violet light of nearest RHS 53B and with speckles of            nearest RHS 187B.        -   Abaxial (mature) margin.—Between RHS 126A and RHS 133A and            frequently developing red coloring or tinting of nearest RHS            53B and with speckles of nearest RHS 187B.        -   Adaxial intermediate zone.—Ranging between RHS 133D and a            blend between RHS N187B and RHS 186B with speckles of            nearest RHS 184B.-   Mucro: Flexible; straight, about 1.0 cm long.-   Mucro color: Nearest RHS 200A.-   Spine texture: Flexible, glabrous, sharply pointed.-   Petiole: Sessile.-   Veins: Parallel; not distinct.-   Peduncle: Terete; glaucous; glabrous; stiff; strong; with cauline    leaves nearly adpressed along surface; about 260 cm long and 2.0 cm    diameter at base; attitude upwards, erect.-   Peduncle color: With glaucous bloom nearest RHS N138A, without    glaucous bloom nearest RHS 139A.-   Pedicel: Terete; glaucous; glabrous; stiff; strong; about 1.7 cm    long and 2.5 mm diameter.-   Pedicel color: Nearest RHS 138A.-   Cauline leaves: About 29 per scape; gladiate to lanceolate; simple,    fleshy, glabrous; margins finely dentate with flexible teeth; apex    acute with mucro; base truncate, sessile, clasping; proximally about    32.5 cm long and about 1.5 cm wide at base, decreasing distally;    color adaxial and abaxial same as basal leaves.-   Buds one day prior to opening: Elongated globose; terminal bulb    about 2.6 cm long and about 1.0 cm across; proximal tube about 2.4    cm long and 6.0 mm across; overall about 5.0 cm long.-   Bud color: Nearest RHS 138A.-   Flower description: Perfect, actinomorphic; about 11.0 cm long and    opening to about 5.0 cm across at outside of anthers; lasting about    3 to 4 days per flower; flowering period about three weeks in late    winter in Michigan greenhouse; producing abundant nectar;    approximately 75 flowers per scape; attitude mostly upright.-   Flower fragrance: Faintly sweet.-   Tepals: Six; glaucous abaxial; glabrous both adaxial and abaxial;    acute apex and fused base; in two sets of three; outer set about 2.8    cm long and about 5.0 mm wide at base; inner set about 2.8 cm long    and 4.0 mm wide at base; inner set creased along edge where    overlapped with outer set while in bud.-   Tepal color: Outer set adaxial nearest RHS 146B, abaxial nearest RHS    N138C with glaucous bloom and nearest RHS 138A with glaucous bloom    removed; inner set adaxial nearest RHS 146A and margin between RHS    146A and RHS 144A, and abaxial nearest RHS N138C with glaucous bloom    and nearest RHS 138A without glaucous bloom and nearest RHS 144A    along creased margin.-   Androecium: Six.    -   -   Filaments.—Six; stiff and straight; about 7.0 cm long and            2.0 mm diameter at base; color between RHS 145C and RHS 160C            with dense speckling of nearest RHS 182A.        -   Anther.—Dorsifixed; longitudinal; about 2.2 cm long and 1.0            mm diameter before opening; after dehiscence curving            backward; color nearest RHS 165A.        -   Pollen.—Abundant; color nearest RHS 18A.-   Gynoecium: Single.    -   -   Style.—5.5 cm long and 2.0 mm diameter at base; color blend            between RHS 145C and RHS 160C with dense speckling of RHS            184A.        -   Stigma.—Globose, apex tri-lobed; about 2.5 mm tall and 3.0            mm across top; color side and top between RHS 177A and RHS            187A; top stigmatic surface in tri-pointed star with color            nearest RHS 194B.        -   Ovary.—Inferior.-   Fruit: Dehiscent, tri-valved, loculicidal capsule; apex abruptly    acute; base slightly tapered; about 3.5 cm long and 1.7 cm across.-   Fruit color: When immature nearest RHS N138A; at dehiscence blend    between RHS 199C and RHS 161B.-   Seed: Flattened, near round; about 5.0 mm across and about 1.0 mm    thick; color nearest RHS 202A.-   Disease resistance: X Mangave ‘Kaleidoscope’ has not been observed    to be resistant to diseases common to other X Mangave beyond that    which is normal for Agave or Manfreda. The plant is xeromorphic and    survives well with minimal water once established. Hardiness at    least from USDA zone 8 to 11. Full extent of winter hardiness has    not been tested.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of ornamental X Mangave plant named ‘Kaleidoscope’ as herein described and illustrated, suitable as a potted plant or for the garden. 